Thank you Mr. President
Mme Executive Director,
allow me to start, first of all, with thanking you for your comprehensive presentation. We welcome your emphasis on transparency, accountability and oversight.
Allow me therefore to comment UNFPA work and efforts at all levels, and in particular those deployed on the field to reach to and assist, as frontliners, the most vulnerable and directly affected categories of the population in the most challenging emergency and humanitarian settings.
Italy is a traditional partner of UNFPA and has supported consistently through the years its operations through both core and project funding.
The protection of women and girls from all forms of violence and abuse, the fight against all harmful practices and the promotion of maternal and reproductive health are common priorities we share and uphold.
Italy has supported through the years the Joint Programs to end Child Early and Forced Marriage and to accelerate the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation. In 2024 we have doubled our contribution to FGM, and we advocate, together with our partner countries, for fostering action across all levels in close collaboration with governments, national and grassroots community organizations, and other key stakeholders.
Italy shares with UNFPA the strong focus on Africa. Through our National Plan on Africa, the “Mattei Plan for Africa”, we are committed to implement a collaborative form of partnership to support investments and socio-economic development in our partner countries, also with the support of the private sector.
The 30th anniversary of the ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development) has taken place in a context of rising challenges for the international community and has demonstrated how pertinent still is the Plan of Action adopted in Cairo in 1994.
The issue of population dynamics is a case in point. UNFPA embraces a multifaceted mandate that encompasses some of the most pressing transformations of the current times, like aging, migration and climate change. We underline the strategic and horizontal value of these issues, which are sitting at the crossroad where the agendas of different regions of the world can meet in a complementary and constructive way.
Count on us to bring this joint effort forward.
I thank you.
